“You know you’re a designer when you can’t walk down the street withoutwanting to rearrange everything you see – even the cracks in the sidewalk.” — Michael Vanderbyl

From furniture and fabrics to interior architecture and wine labels, Michael Vanderbyl is renowned for his ability to merge disciplines and communicate the power of design through his concise, discerning and honest style.

A 2012 Interior Design Hall of Fame award recipient, he has gained international prominence in the design field as a practitioner, educator, critic and advocate. Since being established in San Francisco in 1973, his firm – Vanderbyl Design – has evolved into a multidisciplinary studio with expertise in identity, print and digital communications, interiors, showrooms, retail spaces, signage, textiles, fashion apparel, packaging, furniture and product design. ASID was proud to present Michael as this year’s keynote speaker at NeoCon, in partnership with Teknion, Industry Partner of ASID.

The packed and lively panel was moderated by the sparkling editor in chief of Interior Design magazine, Cindy Allen, and rounded out with some of the leading names in the industry. Together, they formed a powerful representation of the close client/designer network that Vanderbyl commands —including David Feldberg, president and CEO of Teknion; Kevin Stark, president of HBF; Janis Feldman, president and CEO of JANUS et Cie; and Christian Plasman, founder and president of Van Peursen Ltd.

Noted as an “editor’s dream” by Cindy Allen and a “trusted advisor” by his clients, for his dynamic and incisive point of view, Michael summarizes the worldview that informs his life’s work as simply: “You know you’re a designer when you can’t walk down the street without wanting to rearrange everything you see — even the cracks in the sidewalk.”

And for this, he has deservedly earned the trust and admiration of his clients, his students and design devotees the world over.

For more on Michael’s work and design philosophy, enjoy this video produced by Interior Design magazine upon his induction into their Interior Design Hall of Fame.Pictured, above (L-R): Christian Plasman, founder and president of Van Peursen Ltd.; keynote speaker Michael Vanderbyl; Cindy Allen, Interior Design editor in chief; Kevin Stark, president of HBF; David Feldberg, president and CEO of Teknion; Janis Feldman, president and CEO of JANUS et Cie